Discover 2 vital tips on how to choke like Marcelo Garcia!

I’m sure you have watched in awe, as I have, when Marcelo Garcia takes the back of a bigger, stronger opponent, sinks the rear naked choke and effortlessly forced the brute to tap! It’s amazing! Why is it that some people have the ability to tap anyone whenever they sink a choke, where as others strain and struggle only to have their opponent break free and escape their hold! From a quick glance it often appears their technique is the same or similar, so what is it?

Is it their physical attributes? Size, strength, power, leverage etc… Not likely as someone like Marcelo fights at 76kg and routinely defeats opponents 20+kg heavier in the absolute (open) division with the most basic of chokes. Watch below as he submits the 95kg behemoth Alexandre “Cacareco” Ferreira!

How about some secret hidden technique that no one is aware of? No, I dont think that’s it either. Marcelo usually submits his opponents with basic techniques, such as the Rear Naked Choke, the Guillotine Choke and the North South Choke. Below is a ruthlessly quick display of Marcel’s legendary choking ability against Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro!

I was lucky enough to spend a week training with Marcelo in September 2008 and have been studying his game for over a year now in the hopes of uncovering some of his secrets! This is what I have come up with so far. Firstly Marcelo’s technique with his chokes is flawless! By that I mean that EVERY single time he choked me from any position, it was always a blood choke(closing carotid arteries). Not an air choke (closing of the windpipe and pain from crushing your Adam’s apple), not a neck crank where your head felt like it was being twisted off! His arms were ALWAYS in the right spot, which usually meant that either his forearm, bicep or both were perfectly positioned to isolate my head from my body and dig directly into my carotid arteries! LESSON 1, Learn to feel for the carotid arteries! Develop an instinctive feel for when your arms are in correct position for a blood choke.

The second thing that I discovered is that when Marcelo wrapped his arms around my neck, it was like having a giant anaconda wrap itself around its prey in attempt to squeeze the life out of it!!! His ability to squeeze your neck is out of this world and I must say I have never had the pleasure of feeling any other like it! No one else’s squeeze come close! Not body builder’s or other big, strong guys, NO ONE! LESSON 2, develop your squeeze! Here is a clip of Eddie Bravo talking about the squeeze, its importance and one way of developing it, enjoy!

Try these simple concepts out for a couple of months and marvel at how much more efficient your chokes will become! If you put in the time you will become a choking machine and be well on your way to developing vice like chokes! As Eddie says, “you must be like Marcelo”!

Thanks Owen! You are most welcome mate, I am glad you’re enjoying the blog! And dont worry I believe the time will come. Personally I’d love to bring him out here next year so that my friends, traininig partners and students could all benefit! That would be a dream that I am hoping to realise!
Kind Regards
Felipe

Most definately mate! But one thing that a lot of people probably dont know, is that he is an extremely humble and caring individual who’s passionate about teaching and sharing the art that he loves! Marcelo is always happy, smiling, totally at home on the mats and his attitude is infectious! I have nothing but the utmost respect for him!
Kind Regards
Felipe

Hey Felipe, nice blog mate! And I too know that technique of his personally!

Btw, the correct term is a “strangle” not a “choke”. A choke is only when you have something in your windpipe (like a baby choking on a toy). You should know that in portuguese it’s called “estrangulamento” .. Dopey American commentators got it wrong in the early UFCs and it’s stuck!

Hey mate, how are you? Long time no see! How’s your training and gym going these days? And what was ADCC like in Spain this year mate? Oh yeah and thanks for the complement about the blog. 🙂

Most of you probably wont know ths but Rodney Ellis aka Hodge is an Australian Jiu jitsu superstar! He has won pretty much everything there is to win here in Australia including most recently, the Under 77kg division of the 2009 South Pacific Submission Wrestling Championships (ADCC Qualifier)! If you’d like to find to more about him please check out his website http://www.scjja.com !

And yes forgive my ignorance! 🙂 I actually call it a strangle when I’m teaching in class, but was catering to the general public by using the more familiar yet technically incorrect term! Although in saying that I should have mentioned that point in the post!

As for Ivy to be honest, I dont miss it at all although the extra $$$ never hurt! 🙂 Hope all is well mate and beware of the wombats and other protected species!

Thanks Steven, I’m glad you liked it! No I dont write for any other blogs, as a matter of fact I’m pretty new to the whole blogging concept and this is my first attempt at it through my Jiu jitsu Kingdom blog.
Kind Regards
Felipe